More of Our Town

Yesterday was a chilly but otherwise nice Fall Friday. I decided to drive to Panera for breakfast. I took my camera along in case I saw anything interesting along the way.

It wasn’t very long after sunrise when I left the house, so the light was quite nice. I figured it would be a good opportunity to detour down Culpeper Street to capture a few images of the houses there.

Why Culpeper Street? Because that’s where a lot of big, cool, old houses are located.

Big Old House on Culpeper Street in Warrenton

Remember, click on the image for a closer look.

One day I’ll have more time to just stroll around and get some better pictures. For now, you just have to settle for snapshots.

Big Old House on Culpeper Street in Warrenton

Neither of those houses are particularly large when compared to some of the other houses on the street. I just love seeing all the different architectural styles.

Big Old House on Culpeper Street in Warrenton

This blue house is one of my favorites. I just love blue houses for some reason.

Big Old House on Culpeper Street in Warrenton

That house is actually small compared to some of its neighbors.

Big Old House on Culpeper Street in Warrenton

You can’t see much of the house in that shot, but don’t you just love the Fall colors?

Big Old House on Culpeper Street in Warrenton

You gotta love the widow’s walk on the roof of that one.

Now this next house was nice, but it was made even more interesting by the Halloween decorations that adorned the yard.

118 Culpeper Street - John Quincy Marr House

According to the Warrenton history book I purchased recently, this is the John Quincy Marr House, one of “several notable residences of prominent Confederate soldiers” in Warrenton. It’s a brick and weatherboard-frame Federal-style house circa 1830. The book, which was published in December 2010, lists the owners as Ron and Elizabeth Scullin. The latter is/was the Chairwoman of the Warrenton Planning Commission.

I didn’t know any of that at the time. I did notice a man in the yard, so I asked if it was okay for me to take some pictures. He said yes but urged me to wait a minute or two as some of the decorations they had displayed aren’t weatherproof and had been covered with plastic bags the previous evening.

Very Realistic Crow

I’m glad I waited. These crows of his are really quite realistic-looking. I should have asked him if they were stuffed (as in taxidermy) or manufactured.

"Caw! Caw!"

Even if that isn’t a Raven, one can’t help but think Edgar Allen Poe when seeing that shot.

118 Culpeper Street - All Decked Out for Halloween

The man, I’m assuming it was Ron, said there would be even more stuff put out on Halloween day. Like lights. And a fog machine. He said the kids love it. And that last year they had over 200 trick-or-treaters.

118 Culpeper Street

Those birds really do add a lot to the scene, don’t they?

118 Culpeper Street

All in all, I thought the display was very cool.

I didn’t have time to linger, so I headed home. But not before making one other stop.

4th and Lee Street

I just love the flag on this brick building, which I now know (because I finally read the sign) to be the JD Eicher Builder office on the corner of S. 4th and Lee Streets. We walk past this one every day.

Red House at 4th and Lee

Here’s another house I like. It’s just a big, red square. But I like it. Maybe it’s the flag. It’s only two blocks from our place.

And finally… my favorite church.

Purple/Gray Church

This church isn’t really a church at the moment. It WAS the first St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. When that congregation moved to a bigger building in 1965, this building became the home of a community action group. Now, according to that same history book I mentioned, it’s owned by “renowned interior decorator Barry Dixon.” I’m not sure if it’s being redone to become a church, or a residence, or what. But it’s awesome. I just love the way the morning sun lights up the copper roof and downspouts. I think the color is a deep purple. Hubby says it isn’t purple at all. So we’ll call it the Purple/Gray Used-to-be-Church building.

It’s a shame all those power lines are in the way. It really is a pretty building.